NIKA SEEDS - Vegetable Indoor Butterhead Cabbage Lettuce Bibb and Boston May Queen Heirloom for Salads - 1000 Seeds

CURLY LEAF LETTUCE   An early variety (30 to 50 days). Forms a large head of green leaves with weight 9 to 10 oz. Sweet, juicy leaves without bitterness. Recommended for open ground and greenhouses.   Planting instructions:   Before you plant your lettuce seeds, make sure the soil is prepared. It should be loose and drain well so it’s moist without staying soggy. To keep the soil fertile, feed it with composted organic matter about one week before you seed or transplant. Since the seed is so small, a well-tilled seedbed is essential. Direct sowing is recommended as soon as the ground can be worked. Plant seeds ½ inch deep. Snow won’t hurt them, but a desiccating cold wind will. If you want an earlier crop, however, you may start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date for an earlier crop. Harden off seedlings for about one week, and transplant outside between 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after last spring frost. Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting. When broadcasting, you’ll need to “thin” for the proper spacing. Leaf lettuce: Plant 4 in apart. Cos and loose-headed types: Plant 8 in apart. Firm-headed types: Plant 16 inches apart. Your rows of plants should be 12 to 15 inches apart. Cover the seeds with ¼ to ½ inch of soil. Water thoroughly at time of transplanting. Consider planting rows of chives or garlic between your lettuce to control aphids. They act as “barrier plants” for the lettuce.